Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-07-04
The Widows Baby.

of Captain Peter Muggins of her Brit
ish Maiesty's customs on landing st
Dover, never forgot the circumstance.
The captain was the one to vindi-
cate the honor of the said British maj
esty. He was a short, stout, red
faced, well-fed and exceedingly i'll
tempered son of Mars. His martial
t tread and loud voiced oaths did not con-
vey the idea of carpet knight, yet he
had never faced the foe nor sought
the bubble reputation At the cannon ;
mouth" No; he had contented HIM
self with filling the Queens Tobac-
/ co-pipe," a. the kiln where contra
band goods were formerly burned
was somewhat profanely styled
The captain was prepared to '.tix''
any one who carried ashore one CT
gar or one inch Of lace, a pair Of
gloves, or any other item.
As he stood thus, watching the
coming ashore of the passengers with
a ''stony British stare" he espied
lady who walked with the gentle, ap-
pealing, uncertain step of a young
widow.
She was followed by a nurse wear
ing the cap and apron of French
woman, and in the arms of this nurse
was a baby in long and flowing white
robes.
The captain was on the alert.
The lady came up TO him, and,
throwing back her long, Grape veil,
addressed him in deep, musical ac-
cents
You are the custom officer, sir ="
i am" responded the captain
rather gruff1y.
Now the widow was sufficiently
beautiful to disarm even the i1-nature
of Captain Muggins, and just the
style of beauty he would be sure to
admire.
The widow was beautiful, with
clear brown eye-or, rather, two Of
them-velyet-idden, heavy-fringed,
full and languid, prone to be cast
down modestIv and appraised sudden
", to the no small confusion of the
luckless male bystander.
She wore a full attire of woe. A
small Grape bonnet, with a slight
frost-work Of white under its brim,
rested on her glossy black hair. Such
hair waving and shining and blue
black.
Her brow. so smooth and broad,
was not dIsfgured by lunatic fringe
or bang. Her eyebrows were black
and delicate, but straight, not arched.
Her nose might be trife large, but
it was beautifully formed and clearly
chiseled; and her mouth was beauti-
ful-the lips so full and heartlike in
their proud arch, their coloring so
fresh and rich.
Then her complexion was Of soft,
ruddv, indescribable brunette tint.
impossible to picture in words, but
wholly charming; her chin was so
finely moulded. and her throat full
and round.
Altogether, the irascibIe captain
thought, 1.-The finest woman I have
seen for years - For the widows
form fully equalled her face, and she
was handsomely dressed.
I am, madam" he repeated.
'sWhere is your luggage
ssHere it Is. I am alone-that is,
with the exception of my nurse and
baby. I have to travel so much now,
and always alone
Tears came very close to the wild
ow's lovely eyes, and a mourn
fully appealing tone touched even
the ironclad heart Of Captain Mug
gins
'AIl right, ma'am. Have nothing
to declare, | suppose
Nothing. Please examine nv
trunks. for 1 long to rest, and my
baby has been quite seasick, poor
darling
The trunks were examined care
fully, for, however fine a woman the
widow might be, '.duty before senti-
ment, was the captains motto.
Nothing was found, and the trunks
were passed
The widow took the baby from the
nurses arms, and hushed it to sleep,
as it had evinced signs Of disquietude
by beginning to whimper-
"A fine child, ma am, said the
captain, who hated babies ike poison.
is It not beautiful-my Henry ?
the image Of his dear-oh - a sob
completed the sentence
He was beautiful-at least, as
much as could be seen Of him. for he
was one mass Of lace and embroidery
his rosy face half concealed by veil.
.sHe l. a fine feIlow-how old might
he be- The captains parboiled eyes
shone with interest: he admired the
widow more every minute
.-Seven months Tomorrow, poor
little darling, To think how much
he has travelled -
s-He has mas am 2"
Yes; b. his dear fathers strange
viii / live six weeks IL Paris and SIX
IN England. alternately"
Rather troublesome for you.
ma am
.sOh, / don't mind for myself.